Security bods rip off Microsoft's 'sticking plaster' IE bug fix A security researcher has developed a method to circumvent Microsoft's temporary fix for a zero-day Internet Explorer browser vulnerability. Redmond release a temporary Fix It to defend against the flaw last week, pending the development of a more complete patch which it later emerged would not arrive with updates due to be …
So the fix was a little less temporary than er, temporary.
Much is being made of the IE side of things. I'm more intrigued by what was wrong server-side, especially with respect to CFR (having seen their list of members). What's the news there?
Also, the CFR, claim that Flash was also a prerequisite.
I've always wondered when MS say "this vulnerability could allow an attacker to take full control of your computer" , what does that actually mean? In my head I see them using a vulnerability to mysteriously launch an RDP session to your PC or something but that sounds unlikely... anyone know first hand what it actually 'looks like' from the hacker's side?
It means that the attacker can execute code on your system, usually that code will just be a dropper. Meaning it communicates with a HTTP server and grabs a binary. Then it executes it.
Whatever you program that binary to do, the computer will do...
So if you create a piece of malware that allows for VNC access, the attacker will get that
"Full control" means administrator-level access, so, yes, they could launch an RDP session if they wanted to. I recall the old Back Orifice party trick... you could remotely eject the CD tray, great for awareness raising, not much use for a criminal.
Typically, an attacker would try to be unobtrusive, and would install something to further their ultimate purpose. If the attack can be automated, then it will be used in drive-by attacks to install botnet software for later sale as DoS or spamming zombies; if the attack is more involved, then maybe used in targeted attacks on high-value victims for installing keyloggers; or capturing webcam images for extortion; the possibilities are endless.
[quote]"Full control" means administrator-level access...[/quote]
Most often it is the rights of the user under whose context the browser is running which determine the level of access, the sad fact is that too many people run as administrator because "they need to" or "they know what they are doing" (or simply because it is the OOBE for the first user created on Windows).
"obsolete but still widely used versions of Microsoft's web browser software browsers"
"ob·so·lete
/ˌäbsəˈlēt/
Adjective
No longer produced or used; out of date."
unfortunately all these versions of IE are still current and supported by Microsoft. IE8 certainly can't be called obsolete because it's the highest version available for XP and server 2003 both of which are widely used.
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